Monitoring and Caring For Wisdom Teeth

Your wisdom teeth, or third molars, come in during your late teens or early 20s. They are the last adult molar to come in and can cause problems such as erupting only partially or not at all. These partial or fully impacted wisdom teeth can cause a host of problems, including :

• Pain

• Red or swollen gums

• Chronic bad breath

• Tender or bleeding gums

• An unpleasant taste in your mouth

Why are wisdom teeth extracted?

We suggest that wisdom teeth be removed before pain, tenderness, infection, or damage to other teeth occurs. Here’s a list of reasons for removal from the American Dental Association:

• pain

• infection

• cysts

• tumors

• damage to adjacent teeth

• gum disease

• tooth decay (if it is not possible or desirable to restore the tooth)

Comforting Care for Optimal Health

We routinely do extractions, but if your wisdom teeth are impacted, we will most likely refer you to one of our trusted oral surgeons. Either way, we will make sure you are comfortable and cared for every step of the way.

Monitoring Your Oral Health

Wisdom teeth are one of the reasons we like to encourage every patient to keep up with their routine cleanings and exams. Even if your wisdom teeth aren’t causing problems now, because your mouth changes over time, the potential for developing problems later on still exists. This risk continues throughout your life. In fact, as you age the potential for problems may actually increase, so if you have any surprising tenderness or inflammation, please contact our dental office in Clinton Township as soon as possible.

About The Author

Dr. Sophia Papasifakis Masters

Dr. Sophia Masters boasts 33 years of experience in the field of dentistry. Skilled in different dental procedures, she had advanced training in several prestigious dental institutions such as the Kois Center and The Dawson Center for Advanced Dentistry. She is a professional member of several dental organizations, including the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. Additionally, she actively volunteers for Donated Dental Services, among others, and was an adjunct clinical faculty at Detroit Mercy Dental and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

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